CrowdIntelComparison
CrowdIntel vs Synthesis: intelligence API vs trading API
Synthesis is a unified API for Polymarket and Kalshi — build wallets, place orders, stream data. CrowdIntel is the read-only intelligence API — wallet scores, insider signals, clusters, and hosted backtests. Different layers of the same bot stack.
TL;DR
- •Synthesis is a unified Polymarket + Kalshi trading API — create wallets, place orders, and stream data over REST + WebSocket.
- •CrowdIntel is the read-only intelligence API — wallet scores, insider signals, funding clusters, and hosted backtests your bot reads before it trades.
- •Different layers of the same stack: Synthesis executes trades, CrowdIntel decides which ones. Most bots use both.
Short answer
Synthesis (synthesis.trade) is a unified prediction-market API covering Polymarket and Kalshi. Its docs confirm core capabilities: create wallets, place orders, stream real-time data, and manage positions, with WebSocket support for live balances, orderbooks, and trade data. Authentication supports three methods: Project API Keys (backend), Session Tokens (frontend), and Account API Keys (backend user operations). CrowdIntel is the read-only intelligence API on the other side of the stack: it indexes every on-chain Polymarket fill, runs a multi-signal statistical engine, traces funding graphs, and serves wallet scores, insider signals, clusters, and hosted backtests over REST (/api/v1), MCP, and webhooks. Use Synthesis to execute across venues; use CrowdIntel to decide what's worth executing.
Side by side
| Criterion | CrowdIntel | Synthesis |
|---|---|---|
| Primary audience | Bot builders and agents that need signal | Developers building trading apps |
| Interface | REST /api/v1 + MCP + webhooks (dashboard included) | REST + WebSocket API |
| Venues covered | Polymarket only | Polymarket + Kalshi |
| Investigation dossiers | Yes — published case file | No — raw data only |
| Funding-graph analysis | Yes | Not advertised |
| Shrinkage win rate | Yes | Raw stats only |
| Order placement | No — read-only by design | Yes |
| Auth methods | Bearer API keys (Settings → API) | Project API Keys, Session Tokens, Account API Keys |
| Hosted backtests | Yes — /api/v1/backtest | No — raw data only |
| Public pricing | Free dashboard; API $29–299/mo | Check synthesis.trade for API tier pricing |
Choose CrowdIntel if you want…
- •A read-only intelligence API — wallet scores, insider signals, clusters over REST + MCP
- •Hosted backtest endpoints to replay signals against historical resolved markets
- •Funding-graph tracing and shrinkage-adjusted win rates out of the box
- •Webhooks that push whale/insider alerts into your bot instead of polling
- •A browseable dashboard and published investigations on top of the same data
Choose Synthesis if you want…
- •A single API covering Polymarket and Kalshi — no custom indexer required
- •Create wallets, place orders, and manage positions programmatically
- •WebSocket streams for live balances, orderbooks, and trade data
- •Flexible auth: project keys for backends, session tokens for frontends, account keys for user operations
- •Building your own app, bot, or agent on prediction-market rails
Frequently asked
Are CrowdIntel and Synthesis direct competitors?
No — they're different layers. Synthesis is the execution API (wallets, orders, streams); CrowdIntel is the read-only intelligence API (wallet scores, insider signals, clusters, backtests). A typical bot ingests CrowdIntel signals to decide, then routes orders through Synthesis or Polymarket's official CLOB API.
Does Synthesis cover Kalshi?
Yes — Synthesis exposes unified endpoints for Polymarket and Kalshi. CrowdIntel is Polymarket-only because Polymarket's on-chain data is what enables the wallet forensics we do.
Can I power my own product with Synthesis and read CrowdIntel alongside?
Yes, and that's the natural pairing: pull wallet scores, signals, and cluster context from CrowdIntel's REST/MCP surface, backtest the strategy on /api/v1/backtest, then execute through Synthesis.
Bottom line
Execution rails? Synthesis. Wallet intelligence, signals, and backtests? CrowdIntel. Most bots run both — one to decide, one to trade.
Put the Polymarket data in your stack
CrowdIntel indexes every on-chain Polymarket fill — 1.7B+ and counting — and serves wallet scores, insider signals, funding clusters, and hosted backtests over REST, MCP, and webhooks. Dashboard free to browse; API from $29/mo.